title: Leukaemia and occupation: a New Zealand Cancer Registry-based case-control Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To examine the association between occupation and leukaemia.
  
  
  METHODS
  We interviewed 225 cases (aged 20-75 years) notified to the New Zealand Cancer Registry during 2003-04, and 471 controls randomly selected from the Electoral Roll collecting demographic details, information on potential confounders and a comprehensive employment history. Associations between occupation and leukaemia were analysed using logistic regression adjusted for gender, age, ethnicity and smoking.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Elevated odds ratios (ORs) were observed in agricultural sectors including horticulture/fruit growing (OR: 2.62, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.51, 4.55), plant nurseries (OR: 7.51, 95% CI: 1.85, 30.38) and vegetable growing (OR: 3.14, 95% CI: 1.18, 8.40); and appeared greater in women (ORs: 4.71, 7.75 and 7.98, respectively). Elevated ORs were also observed in market farmers/crop growers (OR: 1.84, 95% CI: 1.12, 3.02), field crop/vegetable growers (OR: 3.98, 95% CI: 1.46, 10.85), market gardeners (OR: 5.50, 95% CI: 1.59, 19.02), and nursery growers/workers (OR: 4.23, 95% CI: 1.34, 13.35); also greater in women (ORs: 3.48, 7.62, 15.74 and 11.70, respectively). These elevated ORs were predominantly for chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL). Several associations persisted after semi-Bayes adjustment. Elevated ORs were observed in rubber/plastics products machine operators (OR: 3.76, 95% CI: 1.08, 13.08), predominantly in plastic product manufacturing. CLL was also elevated in tailors and dressmakers (OR: 7.01, 95% CI: 1.78, 27.68), cleaners (OR: 2.04, 95% CI: 1.00, 4.14) and builder's labourers (OR: 4.03, 95% CI: 1.30, 12.53).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest increased leukaemia risks associated with certain agricultural, manufacturing, construction and service occupations in New Zealand.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Public Health Research, Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand. d.j.mclean@massey.ac.nz
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: McLean
authors.forename: Andrea 't
authors.initials: A'
authors.lastname: Mannetje
authors.forename: Evan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dryson
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Walls
authors.forename: Fiona
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: McKenzie
authors.forename: Milena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maule
authors.forename: Soo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cunningham
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kromhout
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Boffetta
authors.forename: Aaron
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Blair
authors.forename: Neil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pearce
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000382:Agricultural Workers' Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002617:Chemical Industry; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007938:Leukemia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009790:Occupations; D012042:Registries; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013783:Textile Industry; D055815:Young Adult